Snippets of Gravity
by StarDuchess
Summary: Short snapshots of life with the Voltron Force trying to add a little more seriousness to the universe. On hiatus.
1. Roses

**This will be a set of snippets in the Voltron universe based on the following two ideas:**

**1) I was reading stories on the _Gatchaman_ fan fic site and even the comedies had a more serious underlying tone. It got me thinking about how we could include a bit of that in _Voltron_.**

**2) I stumbled across this writing challenge from 100 Quills where they listed 100 random words and you were supposed to write a little piece on each topic, one per day. I don't plan on doing all of them, but I'll pick a new word each Monday and give it a separate chapter.**

**WARNING: I do not own _Voltron_ nor make any money off this. It's just for fun and writing practice. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Roses**

Charred rubble. Smashed brick walls. Jagged edges. Horrors assailed the senses. Glass shards bit. Splintered wood stabbed. Lacerated metal tore. Treacherous footing snagged the unwary. Shattered furniture chronicled the havoc. Spoiling food reeked from the ground. Burnt fabric menaced the window frames. But the worst was the splattered blood from piles of littered bodies.

Dirt and smoke coated the airways, burned through flesh, and deadened the setting sunlight. Coughing, crying and moaning assaulted the ears. Fires nibbled on the village while consuming the forest beyond. Heat cooked the soil. Seared corpses and rotting bitterness forced those with weak constitutions to gag and wretch, thus adding to the general malaise. Death and decay lay everywhere.

Clamoring over an embankment, a solitary figure ran toward a capsized green mechanical being that had impacted the west end of town. The bottoms of all-too-cheerful pink boots melted upon contact with the scorched earth. The wearer skidded down the crevice walls, which ripped her clothes and smeared blood and dirt into the fibers, but she ignored this and kept running. A hiss sounded as a door opened and a short, green figure stepped out cautiously onto the crash sight. The runner grabbed the boy, a questioning look in her eyes. The youth nodded that he was fine although his dazed visage told her he was on the verge of shock. She gave him a quick hug before letting him examine his lion.

A spot of red sticking out from underneath caught her attention. Thinking that it might be a trapped citizen, she moved to investigate. Instead, half a dozen roses were buried under the metal weight. Their leaves were blackened and crisp and the edges of the petals were marred to an ugly brown. She stared numbly at it.

Just another victim on her war-torn planet.

* * *

**Okay, so what do you guys think? Critical comments are welcome. Also, let me know if the rating needs changing due to graphic imagery. Not all of the vignettes will be as dark as this one but hopefully the seriousness will still come through. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Restless

**Second installment.**

**WARNING: I do not own **_**Voltron**_** nor make any money off this. It's just for fun and writing practice. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Restless**

Sitting in front of the blinking control panel in Castle Control, Lance kept going over analytical systems for a spike, a glitch, a movement, anything. Hairs stood up on the back of his neck and his palms sweated as he went over the information again. Twenty-four satellites, seventeen military installations, eight probes and three neighboring star systems full of data and … nothing. Not a peep.

He started drilling his fingers on the console. He checked again. No gamma radiation. No energy wave signatures. No gravity disturbances. For three days he had been searching and waiting for the beep that would send them all into action. He knew an attack from Doom was imminent. How could it not be, with five separate international dignitaries here at this very moment in conference with Princess Allura? It was the most logical time to strike. It had to be coming. He just couldn't find it! He ran through more data. Infrared images showed no unusual movements planet-side, and long-range scanners picked up zero changes in electromagnetic frequencies. Still nothing.

Lance couldn't take it anymore and ruthlessly shrugged out of his leather jacket. His eyes were bloodshot and dry, burning with fatigue. He messaged his temples trying to release tension. What could he have missed?

Suddenly he saw a streak flash past Vega 7. Finally! His hands flew across the keys, pulling up video, telemetry, flight path, possible target zones, chemical make-up and more. He checked over the lions and planetary defenses while waiting for new data to flow. What came back was disappointing: a stray meteor. A big one, but harmless.

He let out a sigh, slumping over his stomach, weary. After a few minutes of running his hand through his hair, he sat back up and started checking all over again. A small rhythmic tapping from his boots took up residence throughout the chamber.


	3. Lament

**Third installment. Sorry for the delay. Please note that I have never seen the episode where Balto is attacked and destroyed but I heard references to it in other people's fanfics. This dialogue has been in my head for awhile but I have no idea if it's canon. The two speakers are Pidge and Allura.**

**WARNING: I do not own **_**Voltron**_** nor make any money off this. It's just for fun and writing practice. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Lament**

"What do you mean we can't go there!?"

"Just what I said, Pidge. We need Voltron here in case the Drule decide to attack again. They've done this before, striking at one small place to draw Allied forces there only to send the bulk of their army to the larger site left unguarded. It leads to massive destruction and even lower morale."

"But Balto is not a small place! Billions of people live there, including my relatives! We can't just abandon them!"

"Strategically, there is no good reason to attack Balto except ..."

"Except a billion slaves and natural resources!"

"...except to lure us away from the real attack. I know that you feel deeply for your homeworld. Please, calm down. I have it on good authority that Galaxy Garrison is sending troops to Balto's aide. Voltron needs to stay back in case of a second and possibly larger raid. I am sure that once Zarkon realizes that we are not taking the bait, he will ease off the attack. All the reports said it was a small task force."

"But, even then, people will die!"

"That's the reality of war, Pidge--people die! I'm sorry! Galaxy Garrison will ensure that minimal casualties are incurred. We cannot risk the larger picture."

"So we're not going to do anything!? Just sit on our butts and wait?"

"We will be closely monitoring all channels for any disturbances or changes and will be at the ready at all times."

"You don't care at all about Balto! You just want to keep Voltron for yourself! Zarkon won't relent! He'll turn my homeland into a deserted waste just as much as Arus! How can you stand that?"

"Please, try to understand my position. Voltron is first and foremost Arus's defender. If we left to help Balto, Arus would be completely defenseless and we are so far out that Alliance troops would be long in coming here. I have conferred with Coran and he agrees that we should stay out of this fray."

"Of course, HE would! Why would any Arusian care about other planets? They don't! They probably feel we deserve it since they've had to deal with years of hardship, maybe it's time for someone else to suffer!"

"Pidge, that's not true! How dare you insult my people that way! Yes, they've been through a decade of war, but they are still kind and good and would never wish this same cruelty to happen to another world!"

"So why can't we go and stop it!?"

"We've been over this! We have to stay behind, just in case!"

"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A COWARD!"

Pain and hurt filled the princess's heart as she was bombarded with her youngest teammate's fury. She felt for him, she really did, but her hands were tied. She could not order Voltron to Balto and leave Arus unprotected. She watched with a lump in her throat and a heaviness in her chest as he stormed out of Castle Control. She prayed to the gods that G.G.'s reinforcements would be enough to protect the small planet and keep it from the worst of Drule atrocities but dread came across her as she feared what lay ahead.

-----------------------------------

"Mayday, Mayday! We need more help! Repeat, we need more help! Drule forces, hundreds of them, came out of nowhere! We thought we had the bulk of them taken care of but wave upon wave have shown up! Please, we're vastly outnumbered! Please, send backup! Repeat, PLEASE, SEND BACKUP!"

The ground around the military crew erupted in chunky debris and dust. Fire rained through the city burning citizens as they fled for shelter. Rubble sprang out at men, women and children as bombs descended everywhere. Shrieks of dismay and panic filled the air. Hundreds of fighter ships eclipsed the twin suns turning day into deadly night. Outer planetary images displayed mass loaders diving to the surface leaving black craters in their wake. Mushroom clouds burst out of the atmosphere.

The Voltron Force stared in shocked horror as Balto was pummeled out of existence. No one made a sound, too stupefied to move or even breathe, except for Pidge whose wails shook the very foundation of the castle.

The Princess of Arus sank to the floor in shame.

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**Looking up an episode synopsis, this could easily fit into the early part of the story. In canon it was Coran who ordered the Voltron Force to stay behind. As ruler of Arus, Allura should have had a greater hand in that decision, so that's how I wrote it here. Afterward Keith and the team defy him and take the Lions to Balto but show up too late to save the planet.**

**This was an exercise in dialogue. I wanted to show Pidge's emotions overriding his better nature. Did it work? What do you guys think?**


	4. Admiration

**Fourth installment. This is mostly description and a look into Lance and Hunk's friendship.**

**WARNING: I do not own **_**Voltron**_** nor make any money off this. It's just for fun and writing practice. Enjoy!**

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**Admiration**

Flying over the surface of Arus depressed Lance. Even though the worst of the raids had ceased due to the protection of Voltron, reconstruction would be a long time in coming. Occasionally attacks got through and their fights with Zarkon sometimes spilt out onto the landscape. Most areas remained desolate as the citizens still feared going out into the open, but it amazed him the ingenuity of the people. They had developed underground farming techniques using solar arrays and sunlight tunnels. (Fungus had long since become a staple in their diet, to which Lance was still getting accustomed.) They had planted fruit trees in the middle of dense forestry in order to hide their produce and moved much of the livestock into the caves or mountain ranges. Still, food had been scarce during the long Drule invasion and things weren't improved much since.

Hunk had asked him to come out to a new site on the southeastern continent. Lance knew he'd been giving engineering advice to various groups all over the planet for their renovation projects. He hoped it was doing the people some good even while his own consciousness was disheartened.

Hunk signaled him to land near a low cliff. Ochre reeds grew on either side and it took Lance a minute to realize they were wheat fields since they were not aligned in perfect rows as they would be back on Earth and they were overrun with weeds. No, they were disguised to look like empty grassland. Very clever.

Hunk left Yellow Lion and moved toward the cliff edge, Lance following at a brisk pace behind him. An opening hidden from above ran down and inside the earth. After some distance, Lance stepped into a large room dominated by a huge, turning water wheel connected to a rotating, vertical wooden shaft which in turn was transferring torque to another disc busily crushing seeds upon a circular platform. Stacks of wheat lay against the left wall while workers bagged the harvested grains ahead to the right. Dampness hung in the air bringing with it the scent of minerals and earth and something else. It was … odd, yet familiar, but Lance couldn't place it.

Hunk led him through a doorway to the right into a smaller room with four large kilns, one of which was currently active. Puffs of a rich, dark smell, not quite burnt, assailed his nostrils mixing with the odd smell from earlier that had grown stronger. Lance furrowed his brow in confusion but got no response from his teammate who was already continuing into the next room. As he crossed the threshold, that oddness became overpowering.

"What is that smell?"

Hunk paused and sniffed. With a look back at his friend and a small hint of a smile, he replied in a low voice, "Oh, just yeast."

Lance was still confused as he examined the contents in this room. Nearest the entryway meter-high metal vats boiled water while other vats heated brown-colored substances. Next stood a row of metal cylinders easily five meters tall, one-and-a-half meters wide, with shallow domed tops and funnel-shaped cones on the bottom. One worker was draining a murky fluid out of the second container from which the yeast smell was emanating. The two men walked further into the room, past more vats and a large filtration system, finally ending in a simple dispersal machine.

"You going to tell me what all this is?" asked Lance irritably.

"This is just all the production line. What I really wanted to show you is downstairs. This way," he said gesturing through another doorway.

This tunnel snaked around and downward more and the air became chilly. The lower room was dimly lit but Lance could make out rows and rows of barrel crates and more storage space not yet filled. His eyes enlarged at the size of the underground space but really bulged when the thought occurred to him of what this might actually be. "No, no way. It couldn't be, could it?"

Hunk watched his reaction with a glitter of mirth in his deep brown eyes. "Right this way, my friend." He walked over to a corner where one keg had been propped up and tapped. Taking a glass mug from a nearby shelf, he poured an amber-colored liquid into it letting it foam up a bit on top and handed it to Lance who hesitated for an instant until Hunk gave him a miniscule nod.

Brought to his nose, the nectar gave off a very floral smell which almost made him sneeze. The first taste was slightly bitter but changed to a medium caramel and ended in a smooth, clean finish. It was heavenly. Taking the second swallow, Lance closed his eyes and sighed in contentment. "It's been so long…."

Hunk chuckled in amusement then poured himself a drink. "This is the first batch of ale just finishing fermentation. I thought you would appreciate it."

Lance studied his fellow lieutenant and said, "Hunk, you don't get enough credit. Thank you." For the first time in a long time, Lance felt his spirits lifted. Thanks to the man in front of him, Arus' future was beginning to look a bit brighter.


	5. Obsession

**Oh, my gosh! I apologize for the extreme lengthy absence. Last June we started a huge project at work that took all of my free time, then in August I gave birth to my second son so all of my home life was taken up with kids. By the time I got back to fandom in December I was on a massive Harry Potter kick of which I'm only now coming out. Hopefully, I will catch up with all of you soon, and I hope to be back on a semi-monthly basis for these snippets.**

**This longer one-shot of Lotor was thought up while listening to The Police's "Every Breath You Take" and is essentially a songfic, yet I tried to twist up the theme a bit to fit his personality. This chapter is dedicated to ZutarianNaiad who pointed out a great deficiency in my previous works and gave me some much needed critical feedback. Thank you with all my heart. I hope this meets with your approval.**

******WARNING: I do not own **_**Voltron**_** nor make any money off this. It's just for fun and writing practice. Enjoy!**  


* * *

**Obsession**

Obnoxiously pink curves flowed quickly over and past one another, endlessly pumping in rythmic cadence. White lines travelled upward to wider planes which then emptied out into glorious rounded mounds. From there the exploration went northward into a smooth expanse of white interrupted with quick streaks of slenderness. Two spheres upon the horizon undulated with such weight that he wanted to grab hold and squeeze, the pink V in between them pointing to his ultimate destination. Still he continued onward as the image abruptly shifted to a severe cliff of beige. Following it resulted in a strange formation of molded curves backed by tight rivers of gold. He knew a sea of light would flow down if only the dam was released. Turning back to the center he traced the outline of subtle rosy hills. A small delicate mountain with two small caves rose up next, but it was the pools of blue beyond filled with fright and worry that always arrested his attention. Her eyes. It always ended with her eyes.

_Every breath you take_  
_Every move you make_  
_Every bond you break_  
_Every step you take_  
_I'll be watching you._

Her image flickered as the loop started over. Lotor had hours of footage of her walking down corridors in the Castle of Lions, eating dinner with her so-called friends (his anger boiling up at the thought of them enjoying her royal company), or moving across the damaged surface of her planet, most of it caught by satellite and a few well-placed spies. This new reel of her running from her blue lion was the best yet taken at his last raid. It had not been the failure his father constantly accused him of--no, never that--but just another strike to wear down their defenses. His final goal was displayed here in vivid detail. He ran his finger over the visage tracing each line of her body. His hands carressed her thighs or slid up to just below those bouncing breasts. His heart raced and his being burned with the need for her.

_Oh, can't you see_  
_You belong to me_  
_How my poor heart aches_  
_With every step you take._

She was his, dammit!, from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Up in his father's command ship, he had spotted her glancing out a lower window as the King of Drule dueled with the King of Arus, her father. If he spent a lifetime fighting those idiots on the Voltron Force, it would be well worth it to finally have her in his arms. He closed his eyes, letting the sweet dulcet sounds of her voice captivate his attention. Snippets of conversations, words spoken during combat, and speeches made at facilities all over Arus floated from the built-in speakers in his private chambers, but the best caress on his ears was recorded by a spy that he had rewarded handsomely with the return of his mother's broken body from the slave pits for burial. Her humming of a light tune in her garden washed over his spirit, at once both cooling his rage and igniting his passion. He imagined her signing to him like that as they picnicked on the veranda over looking his private lake in the south continent, the reds and pinks of sunset matching her blushed cheeks, the heat from the volcano behind them making them hot for each other.

_Every move you make_  
_Every vow you break_  
_Every smile you fake_  
_Every claim you stake_  
_I'll be watching you._

He inhaled deeply and the scent of ripe strawberries made his mouth salivate. An incense burner gave off the spicy addition of cedar wood and it combined together to make him heady with intoxication. Her hair would smell of early morning dew and the delicate skin below her ear would pulsate with honeysuckle. Her lips would taste of fresh sweet cantalope, of which he now picked up a piece from the bowl on the table and placed along his lips, kissing its moistness. He ate the fruit slowly, his thoughts traveling over the details of his oral muscle lapping the light sheen of sweet on her flesh. Next he commandeered a cherry, and after sniffing its darker bouquet, envisioning the waft of feminine huskiness blossoming in her nether region, he nipped at the plump skin, hearing her little breathy cries of lust and shrieks of pleasure in his mind's ear.

_Since you've gone I been lost without a trace_  
_I dream at night I can only see your face_  
_I look around but it's you I can't replace_  
_I feel so cold and I long for your embrace_  
_I keep crying baby, baby, please..._

He took the red berries with him to bed, stripping as he did each night with slow movements just the way he wanted her to undress him. The coldness of the room prickled goosebumps on his flesh and he yearned for the warmth of her body. Someday. But, this would have to do for now. He laid down in the soft comfort of his cream-colored satin bedsheets. Over and around himself he pulled a special leather blanket made from the cut skins of exotic beauties, soft and smooth and supple upon his fingertips. Rolling cherries in his mouth he petted the skins, imaging his future wife with him, her lush form sliding along his. He let all of this envelope his senses until he fell asleep and all he could dream about was her.

_Every single day_  
_Every word you say_  
_Every game you play_  
_Every night you stay_  
_I'll be watching you._

_-_

**

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Sufficiently creeped out? Let me know how I did! Also, I am open to prompt ideas, so if anyone has a specific request in mind, just review or PM me!**


	6. Obsession Revised

**This is a revision of the previous chapter. I changed the later paragraphs to be less overtly sexual and more of Lotor's thoughts and emotions. Thank you, ZN, for your continued comments!**

**Don't worry. I'm hard at work on the official next installment, News, which should be up by Monday at the latest.**

* * *

**Obsession**

Obnoxiously pink curves flowed quickly over and past one another, endlessly pumping in rythmic cadence. White lines travelled upward to wider planes which then emptied out into glorious rounded mounds. From there the exploration went northward into a smooth expanse of white interrupted with quick streaks of slenderness. Two spheres upon the horizon undulated with such weight that he wanted to grab hold and squeeze, the pink V in between them pointing to his ultimate destination. Still he continued onward as the image abruptly shifted to a severe cliff of beige. Following it resulted in a strange formation of molded curves backed by tight rivers of gold. He knew a sea of light would flow down if only the dam was released. Turning back to the center he traced the outline of subtle rosy hills. A small delicate mountain with two small caves rose up next, but it was the pools of blue beyond filled with fright and worry that always arrested his attention. Her eyes. It always ended with her eyes.

_Every breath you take_  
_I'll be watching you..._

Her image flickered as the loop started over. Lotor had hours of footage of her walking down corridors in the Castle of Lions, eating dinner with her so-called friends (his anger boiling up at the thought of them enjoying her royal company), or moving across the damaged surface of her planet, most of it caught by satellite and a few well-placed spies. This new reel of her running from her blue lion with exhaustion, worry, and desperation etched across her features was the best yet taken at his last raid. It had not been the failure his father constantly accused him of--no, never that--but just another strike to wear down their defenses. His final goal was displayed here in vivid detail. He ran his finger over the visage tracing each line of her body. His hands carressed her thighs or slid up to just below those bouncing breasts. His heart raced and his being burned with the need for her. Ultimately, she would not escape from him. She could not.

_Every word you say_  
_I'll be watching you..._

She was his, dammit!, from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Up in his father's command ship, he had spotted her glancing out a lower window as the King of Drule dueled with the King of Arus, her father. If he spent a lifetime fighting those idiots on the Voltron Force, it would be well worth it to finally have her in his arms. He closed his eyes, letting the sweet dulcet sounds of her voice captivate his attention. Snippets of conversations, words spoken during combat, and speeches made at facilities all over Arus floated from the built-in speakers in his private chambers, but the best caress on his ears was recorded by a spy that he had rewarded handsomely with the return of his mother's broken body from the slave pits for burial. Her humming of a light tune in her garden washed over his spirit, at once both cooling his rage and igniting his passion. He imagined her signing to him like that as they picnicked on the veranda over looking his private lake in the south continent, the reds and pinks of sunset matching her blushed cheeks, the heat from the volcano behind them draining her resolve to resist him.

_Every move you make_  
_I'll be watching you..._

He inhaled deeply, and the scent of ripe strawberries and spicy cedar wood that he always associated with planet Arus combined together to make him heady with intoxication. In a captured embrace, he remembered how her hair smelled of early morning dew, how the delicate skin below her ear pulsated with honeysuckle as her body had trembled against him. He had forced her head back, her fantastic blue eyes alive with indignation, as he laid claim to her. Her lips tasted of fresh sweet cantalope, and her struggles to push him away only added a touch of savory to the experience, which he relived now by picking up a piece of fruit from the bowl on the table and placing it along his lips, kissing its moistness. He ate the fruit slowly, his thoughts traveling over the details of the pleasure he had gained in lapping up the light sheen of sweat on her neck. Exquisite. Next, he commandeered a cherry and nipped at the plump skin as he triumphantly had that day, hearing her little breathy cry of outrage in his mind's ear. Truthfully, it didn't matter much what she begged or cried or shouted at him as long as he had her by his side. He then wondered about the sweetness of her blood and sniffed the darker bouquet of the red berries to create the possible sensation. It would be the most exquisite wine he would ever drink. That it would allow him to take his mind off the affairs of state would be an added bonus.

_Oh, can't you see_  
_You belong to me..._

Stripping as he did each night with slow movements, he savored her presence in his life, his prize to fight for and win, his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Unfortunately, the empty coldness of the room prickled goosebumps on his flesh and he yearned for the warmth in which she spent her days. Someday. She had slipped through his fingers yet again, but he had marked her, and she would be his. Someday. But, this would have to do for now. He laid down in the soft comfort of his cream-colored satin bedsheets, sighing with an anticipatory breath at the next planned attack. Over and around himself he pulled a special leather blanket made from the cut skins of exotic beauties, soft and smooth and supple upon his fingertips. Rolling cherries in his mouth he petted the skins, imaging his future wife with him, appeasing his needs, making him truly happy. He let all of this envelope his senses until he fell asleep dreaming of her sapphire eyes.

_Every single day_  
_I'll be watching you._


	7. News

**Well, I got this up by Monday, just not the Monday you all were thinking. Sorry. My infant son ran fever all last weekend so no writing got done and then after that I lost the muse for a week but luckily it came back.**

**I made this entry a study in writing in strictly English Prime, except for dialogue. E-Prime eliminates the verb 'to be' in order to show more accurate observations. Instead of "the sky is blue" you would say "I see a blue sky today" and so on.**

**I dedicate this one to Ms MaraJade. I had written half of it already when I received your last PM. I feel so awful for you but know that it can never come close to what you are feeling.**

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Voltron and make no money on this.**

* * *

**News**

Young Princess Allura walked purposefully through the Castle of Lions on her way to Command and Control. The weekly report from Terra came at precisely 9 am on Mondays. Each week she anxiously awaited what information their allies collected regarding the Drule Empire as well as accomplishments by the Vehicle Voltron group. On a personal note, Keith enjoyed swapping messages with Commander Jeff and Pidge usually exchanged juvenile jokes and technical bafflements with his twin brother Chip. Lance managed to keep alive his social circle of friends--how many girls did he have potential dates with? six, at last count--and Hunk received letters from his family. These grew more earnest as his sister neared the end of her pregnancy.

Turning a corner, Allura almost collided with Hunk's immense frame. "Oh! Good morning! Forgive me; I was on my way to C and C," she said beaming up at the man.

Hunk gazed sweetly down at her, gesturing that she go ahead of him while responding soothingly, "That's quite alright, Your Highness." His soft demeanor never failed to surprise her, yet lately he seemed livelier than ever before with a bounce in his step disconcerting on a man his size and a twinkle in his eye.

"You are in a good mood this morning!"

"Yeah, I guess so. I know my mom will have sent another letter today. It won't be long before there's a new little one in the family." She could hear the pride in his statement, see it in the upright lines of his stature. It appeared that someone was looking forward to becoming an uncle.

The two entered the large command room to find all the other Voltron members plus Coran already reading through mail files. The atmosphere surrounding them felt calm and friendly, thus Allura determined that no horrible attacks had occurred since their last communique. She felt relieved.

Lance noticed them first. "Hey, good morning! Hunk, you sly devil, you didn't tell me you were dating the princess." He winked over at her, a big grin upon his handsome features. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his boyish behavior. She heard Hunk chuckle briefly beside her as Keith glanced first at them then at his second.

"Knock it off, Lieutenant."

"Sorry, Cap'n. Your Highness, I have routed all your reports to the far left terminal. Hunk, yours are on the back terminal."

Allura thanked him, walked over to the computer station and began reading. Half a dozen planets reported minor skirmishes with Drule fighters. Vehicle Voltron took heavy hits in a Doom sabotage attack while flying escort for medical supplies to Alpha Centauri, so close to home! She bet they were reeling from that one and wondered what Jeff told Keith. Alliance Intelligence informed her of increasing ore mining in the Drule's asteroid belt, and fires on planet Metzal still ran rampant, escalating the casualties into the double digits, but the war analysts predicted that.

Loud guffaws erupted in the chamber. "Oh, my gosh," Pidge said between breaths. "That was hilarious! Guys, you gotta hear this one. Okay, what is the ugliest body in space?"

A pregnant pause hung in the air, looks of dread passing among the rest of the team. Everyone knew Chip sent these awful jokes.

"Ur-anus!!!!" Pidge beamed and started laughing again. Lance groaned. Keith pinched his forehead, eyes closed. Allura stood puzzling out the riddle in bewilderment while Coran frowned.

"So, Hunk, buddy, what did you thi--" Pidge's voice caught in mid sentence and he said nothing further. A chill silence fell over the room as each person subconsciously noticed that Hunk had not laughed at the pun, which he usually did, and each looked over to where the large man stood staring at the comm.

What Allura saw sent tremors down her spine.

Hunk's entire body had gone still as a statue and his skin had drained of color to a marble whiteness. His brown eyes, which normally contained a quiet love of life and whose outside corners dimpled in young laugh lines, had grown wide and dull in astonishment, losing any gaiety they might have held. His bottom lip quivered slightly in trying to say something and tension tightened his brows as his mind worked to process what he had just been reading.

"Hunk?" she asked gently, fearful of his response. "Hunk, what happened?"

He gave no indication that he heard her.

"Please, Hunk, what's going on?" She grew colder with each passing second.

After a minute or two went by, Keith pointedly looked at Lance with a silent command. Instantly a copy of the letter displayed on his screen and he quickly glanced through the missive. Allura could tell when he found the cause for alarm for his breath caught and his eyes stopped scanning and he too grew still as death. Dread coursed through her own body.

Her need to know overtook any qualms about privacy and she quietly opened that same note and skimmed till she got to this declaration.

_'I am sorry to inform you, my son, but your sister had to be rushed to the emergency room last Thursday in great abdominal pain and then gushing fluids. The placenta ruptured__. The doctors and nurses worked diligently but could not save the baby. Your sister is alive and recovering but emotionally she is in a deep depression. We all are. I wish you could be here. We need your solid presence.' _

Allura wanted to reach out to him in comfort, in sympathy, but words would not come to her. She knew the deep pain of familial loss but not that of a small, unborn child. Nothing could connect her lack of experience with his intense grief. All thoughts seamed inadequate, all phrases superficial.

She thought touch might work where language failed, but her movements forward snapped him out of his trance. A flash of deep anguish lit his eyes a second before he turned around and fled away from them. Clearly, these new emotions overwhelmed him.

Keith briefed the rest of the team about the situation. They all stood there in shock, not sure how to react or what to do next. Life would go on and Voltron would still protect Arus, but in that moment everything seemed futile.

Hunk's hopelessness hung over the castle like a northern blizzard, cold and smothering.


End file.
